Means and method of applying labels



Jan. 16, 1945. R. s. AVERY 2,367,189

MEANS AND METHOD OF APPLYING LABEIJS Filed April 14, 1943 INVENTOR.

.184) SMNTQVA v53 Y,

AT I'ORNEY.

Patented Jan. 16, 1945 MEANS AND METHOD OF APPLYING LABELS Ray Stanton Avery, Los Angeles, Calif.

Original application May 14, 1941, Serial No. 393,359. Divided and this application April 14, 1943, Serial No. 482,968

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying labels carrying trade-marks, advertising or identifying media to elongated articles, such as wiring, rope, garden hose, cables, and the like. The application is in the main divisional of my copending application Serial No. 393,359, filed May 14, 1941, entitled Label dispenser.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby the elongated article to which the labels are to be applied at intervals can be fed adjacent a dispensing mechanism. A continuous backing on which the labels are temporarily mounted is fed to the dispensing mechanism and the labels are consecutively detached from the backing by the dispenser and deposited on and applied to the elongated article as it is fed past the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby labels may be applied to an elongated article, such as wire, rope, cable, and the like at regular spaced intervals with great facility and at a high rate of speed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawing for an illustrative embodiment of .the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating the apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated, parts being'broken away and shown in vertical section; v

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially upon the line 33 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 44 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 5-5 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the dispensing mechanism taken substantially upon the line 66 upon Fig. 2 in the direction indicated; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, il-

I lustrating a modified form of dispensing mecha anisrn that may be employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the apparatus illustrating the embodiment of the present invention comprises a label dispensing mechanism or device, generally indicated at .l 0. Thi device in the preferred form of construction comprises an arcuate member providing two concentric arcuate passages H and I2 between which at the rear end of these passages there is disposed a relatively sharp peeling edge l3. A continuous label strip comprising a continupus backing I4 is fed to the dispenser over one or more idler rollers l5 and is trained into the outer or uppermost passage l I. On this backing there is temporarily mounted a plurality or arow of individual labels l6 which are preferably formed of paper but which may be formed of other flexible materials.

The labels l6 may have printed thereon trademarks, advertising information, identifying media, or any other printed matter. These labels are attached to the backing by means of a normally tacky adhesive commonly referred to in the art as a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The adhesive is applied to the under-surfaces of the labels and has a greater affinityfor the labels than for the backing so that when the labels are peeled or stripped from the backing the adhesive is removed with them.

The backing I4 is trained around the relatively sharp edge l3 and is extended forwardly through the lower or inner passage l2 and may be trained over one or more idler rollers IT to a windup reel (not shown) which winds up the backing and which either intermittently or continuously draws the backing rearwardly through passage l l around the sharp edge l3 and forwardly through the inher passage l2.

It will be noted that in the preferred form of construction both the backing and the label is transversely arched or flexed so that at the time the backing is peeled from'the label as illustrated in Fig. 6, the label is in the arched or flexed position which tends to stiffen it and thus resists any tendency of the label to follow the backing around the peeling edge l3.

The elongated article, such as wire, rope, cable. garden hose or the like is indicated at l8 and is fed preferably continuously beneath the dispensing device I0. It may be trained over one or more idler rollers l9. .As the labels are consecutively peeled from the backing by drawing the backing around the peeling edge 13 they are freed from the backing and allowed to drop or fall onto the elongated article I8 as indicated at 20. .The pressuresensitive adhesive being normally tacky, causes the label to stick thereto temporarily. This is somewhat assisted by the fact that the adhesive is freshly exposed by peeling the backing therefrom immediately prior to the label contacting the article Ill. The article I8 is then caused to pass beneath a grooved roll 2| which serves tobend the sides of the label downwardly about the elongated article as illustrated in Fig. 3. It also serves to press the label firmly against the top of the article 18. If the article I8 is of relatively large diameter such as for example in the case of garden hose or heavy cable, the width of the label may be equal to or less than one-half the circumference of the article. In this event the roll 2| may alone suffice to firmly apply the label to the article. On the other hand, if the wire or rope is of relatively small diameter so that the width of the label is greatly in excess of the circumference of the article additional rolls 22 arranged in opposition to each other may be located rearwardly of the roll 2| and serve to press the depending r suspended sides of the label into firm adhesive ongagement with each other as illustrated in Fig. 4, thus producing the finished article as illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the labels encircle the article l8 and have opposed sides arranged to adhesively engage each other. The label strip and the article l8 can be fed either intermittently or continuously but I find that very little advantage is derived from intermittent feeding. By timing the speed of operation of the windup reel for the backing with relation to the speed of advancem-ent of the article l8, the interval between consecutive labels on the finished article can be regulated. In this manner labels may be applied to endless elongated articles at regular intervals very speedily and efficiently.

It is not necessary in all instances that the dispenser be arcuately shaped as illustrated in Fig. 2. This form is preferred particularly when the label material is very thin and highly flexible in that it tends to stiffen the label by the transverse arching when the backing is stripped therefrom. However, if the label material is adequately stiff or thick so that there is no tendency for it to follow the backing around the peeling edge l3 the dispenser may be fiat as illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein there is an upper passage II a and a lower passage llb between which is arranged the peeling edge formed at the rear end of the partition l3a. The label strip is fed rearwardly through the upper passage lla and its backing strip is then drawn around the peeling edge forwardly through the lower passage llb. The labels l6a are consecutively peeled or stripped from the backing and are deposited on the article l8. In this form of construction as previously explained if the article is of relatively large diameter as compared with the size of the label the grooved roll 2| may alone be employed to firmly press the label into firm adhesive engagement with the article. On the other hand, if the article is of relatively small diameter rolls 22 may be required in addition to the roll 2| to press the suspended sides of the label into engagement with each other as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will be appreciated from the above-described construction that the present invention enables pressure-sensitive labels to be rapidly fed by means of their backing strip to a dispensing mechanism and to be consecutively stripped or peeled therefrom and deposited on an elongated article which may be continuously fed adjacent the dispenser. By adjusting the timing the interval between consecutive labels applied to the article may be varied to any desired distance.

Various es ay be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of applying labels to an elongated article which consists of feeding a label strip having labels temporarily attached to a backing to a dispenser which consecutively separates the labels from the backing and feeding an elongated article adjacent the dispenser so as to receive the separated labels upon their being separated from the backing, pressing the labels downwardly around the sides of the elongated article and pressing the suspended sides of the labels into mutual engagement beneath the article.

2, Means for applying labels to wire, cord, and like articles comprising peeling means across which a label strip may be fed to peel the backing of the strip from the labels mounted thereon, means for feeding the wire or the like adjacent said peeling means so as to have deposited thereon the detached labels, and means for bending the labels around the wire so as to have the opposed sides thereof adhesively engaged.

3. Means for applying labels to wire, cord, and like articles comprising peeling means across which a label strip may be fed to peel the backing of the strip from the labels mounted thereon, means for feeding the wire Or the like adjacent said guide means so as to have deposited thereon the detached labels, and means for forcing the detached labels into firm adhesive engagement with the wire or the like.

4. Means for applying labels to wire, rope and like articles comprising means forming an arcuate passage through which a label strip may be fed to peel the backing of the strip from the labels mounted thereon, a peeling edge at'the rear of said passage, peeling means for the backing extending forwardly from said peeling edge, and means for feeding the wire or the like beneath said guide means so as to have deposited thereon the detached labels.

5. Means for applying labels to wire, rope, and like articles comprising means forming an arcuate passage through which a label strip may be fed to peel the backing of the strip from the labels mounted thereon, a peeling edge at the rear of said passage, guide means for the backing extending forwardly from said peeling edge, means for feeding the wire or the like beneath said guide means so as to have deposited thereon the detached labels, and means for forcing the detached labels into firm adhesive engagement with the wire or the like.

6. Means for applying labels to wire, rope, and the like comprising means providing an arcuate peeling edge, means for feeding a label strip having labels temporarily applied thereto by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive towards said peeling edge, means for drawing the backing of the label strip around the peeling edge to detach the labels therefrom, and means for feeding the wire, rope, or the like under said arcuate peeling edge.

7. Means for applying labels to wire, rope, and the like comprising means providing an arcuate peeling edge, means for feeding a label strip having labels temporarily applied thereto by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive towards said peeling edge, means for drawing the backing of the label strip around the peeling edge to detach the labels therefrom, means for feeding the wire, rope, or the like under said arcuate peeling edge, and means for forcing the detached labels into 2,so7,1s9 3 firm adhesive engagement with the wire or the like.

8. Means for applying labels to wire, rope, and the like comprising means providing an arcuate peeling edge, means for feeding a label strip having labels temporarily applied thereto by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive towards said peeling edge, means for drawing the backing of the label strip around the peeling edge to detach the labels therefrom, means for feeding the wire, rope, or the like under said arcuate peeling edge, and means for forcing opposed sides of the labels into mutual engagement with each other encircling the wire, rope, or the like.

RAY STANTON AVERY.- 

